Se oli vanha Väinämöini

SKVR I1 145·Kiimaisjärvi·1872·Collector: Genetz, A.

In the SKVR edition: Liedma. Genetz II, n. 72. - 16/8 1872. Ahappeińe Iivana.

Song types: Hiiden hirven hiihdäntä, Kanteleen soitto, Kilpalaulanta, Maailmansyntyruno, Sammon taonta, Väinämöisen ammunta

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SKVR textEnglish

1Se oli vanha Väinämöini,It was old Väinämöinen,

2Tuog' oli nuori Jougahaini,That was young Jougahainen,

3Satuttih tiellä vassakkahe,They met on opposing paths,

4Koskigo vemmel vembelehje,Did the shaft rush to the shafts,

5Rahis rahkehen nenähä,Scraped the hoof's snout,

6Veri juoksi vembelestä,Blood ran from the shaft,

7Rasva rahkehen nenistä.Grease from the hoof's nostrils.

8Tuog' oli vanha VäinämöiniThat was old Väinämöinen

9Noin tuo sanoiksi virkki:Thus he spoke in words:

10"Kumban' on tiijolda parembi,"Which of us knows better,

11Laulannalda loaskavembi,More skilled in singing magic?

12Sen on suolla seisatamma,Let us stand on the marsh,

13Laulamma lambihavoksi,Sing the marsh into a clearing,

14Kaivoho kalattomahje,The pond fishless,

15Aivin ahvenettomahje."Waters perchless."

16Laulo lambihi havoksi,Sang marshes into clearings,

17Kaivoho kalattomahe,Pond into fishlessness,

18Aivin ahvenettomahe.Waters into perchlessness.

19"Oi on vanha Väinämöini,"Oh you old Väinämöinen,

20Püöritäs pühät sanassi,You twist your holy words,

21Labehuta lauluvossi."Release your singing power."

22Tuo on vanha VäinämöiniThat is old Väinämöinen

23Noin tu'o sanoiksi virkki:Thus he spoke in words:

24"Midä annat lunnahiksi?""What will you give as ransom?"

25"On miula kaksi hevoista,"I have two horses,

26Üks' on kilvoissa kebie,One swift in races,

27Toin' on rausas rahkehissa."The other steady in harness."

28"Kuski koinan orhillasi,"Though you drive three stallions,

29On miun oma orihjeMy own stallion

30Kaht' on, kolmie parembi,Is better than two, three,

31Viitt' on, kuutta kuulusambi:Five, more famed than six:

32Juossen juomaha mänövi,Runs to drink without stopping,

33Juossen juomasta tulovi,Returns from drinking unbroken,

34Hettijest' on heinät süöü,Eats hay without a rack,

35Vein on pilvistä vedävi,Draws water from clouds,

36Piettäü pilvet juoksomasta,Holds clouds from fleeing,

37Hattarat havisomasta."Mists from vanishing."

38Tuog' oli nuori JougahainiThat was young Jougahainen

39Noin tu'o sanoiksi virkki:Thus he spoke in words:

40"Oi on vanha Väinämöini"Oh you old Väinämöinen,

41Püöritäs† pühät sanassi,You twist your holy words,

42Labehuta lauluvossi."Release your singing power."

43"Midäg' on annat lunnahiksi?""What will you give as ransom?"

44"On miula kaksi venoista,"I have two boats,

45Üks' on souvussa kebie,One swift in straits,

46Toin' on äijän kannattauvi."The other bears old men's loads."

47Tuog' oli vanha Väinämöini,That was old Väinämöinen,

48Noin tu'o sanoiksi virkki:Thus he spoke in words:

49"Küll' on meilä niidä koissa,"Indeed we have those in our yard,

50Kullat lapsien kukkasia,Golden children's toys,

51Hobiat† käsihelüinä."Ponies as hand-held charms."

52"Oi on vanha Väinämöini,"Oh you old Väinämöinen,

53Püöritäs† pühät sanassi,You twist your holy words,

54Labehuta lauluvossi,Release your singing power,

55Vaigie teäl' ois ollakseniThough I were there

56Kaivossa kalattomassa,In the fishless pond,

57Aivin ahvenettomassa:In perchless waters:

58Oaldo peädäni ajaviWaves would chase my head

59Rannalla haguo vasse."To shore with driftwood."

60"Midäg' on annat lunnahiksi?"†"What will you give as ransom?"

61"Annan ainuon sisaren,"I'll give my only sister,

62Kuldakangahan kudojan,Weaver of golden fabric,

63Mesileivän leibojanne."Baker of honey-bread."

64Tuo oli vanha VäinämöiniThat was old Väinämöinen

65Püöritti pühät sanahe,Twisted holy words,

66Labehutti lauluvohe.Released singing power.

67Tuo oli nuori JougahainiThat was young Jougahainen

68Hüppäsi hüvän selällä,Leapt on the good steed's back,

69Hüvän laukin landehilla,On the galloper's flanks,

70Ajua karetteloviDrove the stallion

71Selvüä merüttä müötiAcross the clear sea

72Ilman kabien kastumatta.Without wetting hooves.

73Jo heän joudu moamoh luoksi:Soon he reached home:

74"Oi on moamo kandajaisen!""Oh mother who bore me!"

75"Poiguoini nuoremboini,"My younger boy,

76Mid' olet alla päin, pahalla mielin?"Why downcast, ill-tempered?"

77"Annoin ainuon sisaren"I gave my only sister

78Iloksi igilopulle,For eternal joy,

79Turvaksi tudisovalle."As security to strangers."

80"Poiguoini nuoremboini,"My younger boy,

81Tuod' on igäne himottiThat's an eternal regret

82Vävükseni Väinämöistä,To have Väinämöinen as in-law,

83Sukukseni suurda miestä,That great man in our kin,

84Langokseni laulajoa."The singer as relative."

85Tuoh' oli vanha VäinämöineThat was old Väinämöinen

86Ajua karetteloviDrove the stallion

87Selvüä merüttä müötiAcross the clear sea

88Ilman kabien kastumatta.Without wetting hooves.

89Vuohisen livottamatta.Without loosening birch-bark.

90Tuog' oli nuori Jougaine†That was young Jougahainen

91Ambumah asetteleksi.Preparing to shoot.

92Emo kieldi, vaimo käski:Mother forbade, wife urged:

93"Poiguoini nuoremboini,"My younger boy,

94Kuin sie ammut Väinämöisen,If you shoot Väinämöinen,

95Ilo ilmalda kadouvi,Joy will vanish from air,

96Laulu moalda langieuvi,Song fade from earth,

97Väinön' on tädisi poiga,Väinö is your cousin,

98Il' olis ilmalla† parembi,The world would be better

99Laul' ois moalla loaskavembi."Song more skillful on earth."

100Ei on kuullut, ei totellut,He didn't hear, didn't obey,

101Tuo on nuori JougahainiThat is young Jougahaini

102Ambu kuitengi hevoista,Shot nevertheless at the horses,

103Ambu kautti kainaloijen,Shot through the armpits,

104Läbi längien lihojen.Through ribs, through flesh.

105Tuoh' oli vanha VäinämöiniThat was old Väinämöinen

106Sordug'† on merehe sormin,Fell into the sea with his fingers,

107Keändü käsin lainehilla.Turned with hands in the waves.

108Siel' on kulgi kuusi vuotta,There he sailed six years,

109Seilu seit̮t̮emen kesüä,

110Karetti kaheksan vuotta.Drifted eight years.

111Tuog' oli vanha VäinämöiniThat was old Väinämöinen

112Nosti polvensa merestä;Lifted his knee from the sea;

113Sotkago lindu lendiä lepettelöüvi,The goldeneye bird flew to rest,

114Kat̮t̮ou on pesän sijoa,Found a nesting place,

115Muni kümmenen munaistaLaid ten eggs

116Vanhan Väinön polven peähä.On old Väinö's knee's summit.

117Hierelöü on haudelouvi;Began to brood;

118Tuog' oli vanha VäinämöiniThat was old Väinämöinen

119Kuul' on polveh lämbimäksi,Felt the knee growing warm,

120Jäsendäh on jäpsähütti,His limb twitched,

121Jo munat muruiksi mändih.Then eggs crumbled to pieces.

122Sotkago lindu lendiä† lepettelöüvi:The goldeneye bird flew to rest:

123Kunnego nämä ruskieset,Where are these brown ones,

124Kunnego nämä valgieset,Where are these white ones,

125Kunnego nämä muut muruset?Where are these other crumbs?

126Tuo oli vanha VäinämöiniThat was old Väinämöinen

127Noin tu'o sanoiksi virkki:Thus he spoke in words:

128Ruskieset päivöseksi taivahalla,Brown ones as the sun in sky,

129Valgieset kuudamaksi taivahalla,White ones as the moon in sky,

130Muut muruset tähtilöiksi taivahalla.Other crumbs as stars in sky.

Siid' on vanha Väinämöini matkuau da itköü,

131Itkie hüräüttelövi.He wailed loudly.

132Tuog' oli puoli Pohjon akkaThat was half of Pohjola's crone

133Püühkigö pikku pirttisehje,Hurried to a small cottage,

134Labuoli lattihuohe,Stumbled into the floor room,

135Seisattih on topillahe:Stopped at the doorstep:

136Ei, sanou, itku lapsen itku,"No," she says, "not a child's cry,

137Se on itku miesten itku,It's the cry of men's weeping,

138Pardasuun urohon miesten,Of the bearded hero's men,

139Jouhileuan juorotusse.The flaxen-bearded one's lament."

140Jo turbie Tugielan neidi:Then rushed Tuonela's maiden:

141Jo, sanou, on moalla Väinämöini†"Now," she says, "on land Väinämöinen

142Tunduu soittu soitannalla,The music is heard with playing,

143Jo ilo ilolla tunduu.Joy is felt with joy."

144Se oli vanha VäinämöiniThat was old Väinämöinen

145Sormin soitti Väinämöini,With fingers played Väinämöinen,

146Kielin kandeleh pagasi.Made the kantele's strings speak.

147Mi oli met̮än otusta,What was of the forest's beings,

148Kaksin siivin sulgavia,Two-winged feathered ones,

149Neljin jaloin juoksijiaFour-legged runners,

150Tuldih vanhan Väinön soitandahje.Came to old Väinö's playing.

151It̮e hän on vein emändäShe herself, water's mistress,

152Vedih on vesikivillä,Brought on water-stones,

153Alikoivun kongelolla,Under young birch's branches,

154Lepän lengolla üleniOn alder's bough climbed

155Vanhan Väinön soitandahje.To old Väinö's playing.

156Poropedra Hiiten hirviPoropedra, Hiisi's elk,

157Potkasi kovasta korvan,Kicked hard its ear,

158Kovan on korvan keikahutti,Jerked the hard ear,

159kandelen murotti.Shattered the kantele.

160Kat̮t̮elou on keändelöüvi,Looked around, turned,

161Soittuoh kohendelouvi,Tried to repair the music,

162Rubei heän on soittamahe.Began to play again.

163Ei ilo ilolla tunnu,Joy isn't felt with joy,

164Eigo soittu soitannalla.Nor music with playing.

English translations by DeepSeek R1, provided by Lidia Pivovarova (University of Helsinki). AI-generated translations may contain inaccuracies. Lines without English have no translation, or one that cannot be matched to the line with certainty.

The text is that of the SKVR digital edition of the Finnish Literature Society (SKS), with these changes:

The edition’s line numbers are replaced by a number on every verse, counted as in the poem reader.
The editors’ notes, and the marks in the verses that point to them, are left out; they can be read at SKS.

Source

Text: SKVR (Suomen Kansan Vanhat Runot), the digital edition of the Finnish Literature Society (SKS), licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Permanent address of this poem at SKS: http://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:sks-kvr-000177 · Read at SKS ↗

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